The Sneakers of 'the Big Bang Theory'

The Big Bang Theory, a series about a group of scientists, became almost an instant hit when it premiered in 2007. For 12 seasons, fans became attached to Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, Rajesh Koothrappali, Howard Wolowitz, and the ladies in their life. While the CalTech employees weren't exactly fashion mavens, we can't help but notice they did have some fashion preferences. Namely, that all wore specific shoes. We've collected the shoes that our four favorite science guys wore during the show's epic run. 

Sheldon Cooper was just as particular about his shoes as the rest of his life 

Some fans of The Big Bang Theory would argue that Sheldon's peculiar nature made the series as successful as it was. He was particular about what foods he ate, where he sat on the couch and the exact time he used the bathroom every day. It should also come as no surprise that he was also particular about his clothing and shoes. While Sheldon swapped out his t-shirts regularly, he seemed particularly partial to two pairs of shoes, and they were not particularly popular brands or styles. 

Unlike his pals, who wore popular shoe brands, Sheldon found his feet were most comfortable in more obscure shoe options. According to Costume Wall, Sheldon rocked a pair of Skechers on multiple episodes of The Big Bang Theory. He wore the Diameter Vassell in brown, more specifically. Sheldon also wore the Ecco Yak style shoe, also in brown, multiple times during the show's illustrious run. 

Howard Wolowitz and Raj Koothrappali had a sneaker brand preference 

Howard Wolowitz and Rajesh Koothrappali had arguably the greatest bromance in TV history. The engineer and the astrophysicist did everything together. While they dressed differently, they did have one style item in common. They both wore Vans. 

Howard might have been the most fashion-forward of his friends. During The Big Bang Theory, he tried out a few different styles but always found his way back to skinny jeans and various shirts with dickies worn underneath. Howard's sneakers changed colors to match his outfits, but he always wore Vans. He wasn't partial to one style over the others, though. Howard regularly rocked the iconic Slip-On Checkerboards, the Old Skool, and the Authentic styles. Howard was even seen wearing the Sk8-Hi style once. 

Raj was similarly attracted to the clean, classic look of the Vans Slip-On checkerboard. Raj was seen wearing the Slip-On variety in various colorways. He had them in the classic black and white checkerboard style but also had colorways to fit just about any occasion. A powder blue pair made regular appearances on his feet. 

Leonard Hofstadter preferred the quiet comfort fo the Converse Chuck Taylor 

Howard and Raj weren't the only The Big Bang Theory characters wearing easily recognizable sneakers. Leonard Hofstadter had a deep connection to the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star style. The experimental physicist didn't really experiment with his style all that much. 

In almost every episode, Leonard could be spotted wearing a classic pair of Chuck Taylor sneakers. The shoe has a long history in fashion. Although fans are probably most familiar with the high-top variety, Leonard preferred the low-top style. 

According to Mr. Porter, the sneaker that would eventually become the iconic Chuck Taylor first debuted in 1917. Charles Hollis Taylor, a basketball star better known as Chuck Taylor, signed on to promote the sneaker a few years later. The sneaker has fallen out of favor on the basketball courts now, with the technology in sneakers changing to meet the needs of modern-day hoop stars. Still, it maintains a strong following as a lifestyle shoe.